Please help me figure investment return OWB yes or no

[Traci]

I am truly missing burning wood, husband not as much but we upgraded from a 22 ton log splitter to a wood processor to make it easier cleaning up down tree tops from logging and we are selling that firewood. We have 60 acres, unlimited supply of wood. We are now currently all electric at .55 cent at last months bill of 2304 kwh. (Which I have to shop around every year for a decent rate). We have a heat pump which saves but when that big furnace comes on, hold onto your wallet! When we had an old wood burner we saved but that unit was free except converting duct work and chimney. With the OWB we want to heat the house, add heat to 6 car garage, hot tub, hot water tank and possibly use it for dryer (somehow). Figure approx 2600 sq ft home plus garage, somewhat drafty and  chilly as I leave it at 65. Figure we will be at least 10-12k for OWB and installation. How long do you think it will take to recoup the cost and start saving $$? 

[thecfarm]

Traci,welcome to the forum.
I have not really priced them OWB since 2007,when I had my installed. From what I read,you will need a big one. I have a Heatmor that takes a 54 inch stick. I had my installed,as what you want done, for $12000. I don't think you can get all that you need for the price you posted,installed.

[hedgerow]

I installed a Garn in 2009. I did all the installation work my self other than the spray foam work. When it was said and done I had $30,000 in the system. I heat a big three story house pretty well sealed up heat my domestic water year around and a 30 X 60 shop with it. I burn 15-20 cord a year. Just last Dec the Garn started leaking water. I kept adding to get it to get threw until May after planting season. Got it repaired and back up and running by the first of Aug when it was said and done I put another $3,000 in it to get back up and going. I also have and unlimited amount of {FREE} wood but trying to find help to make it into firewood is a problem in my area. Looking back on it its nice to run the house warmer than if I was buying propane but I wouldn't do it again knowing what I do today. Good luck on what ever way you decide to go. 

[DDW_OR]

here is what i have found.
Wood Heating | Forestry | USU

Pine, Lodgepole = 21,100,000 BTU per cord
Oak, Red = 24,600,000 BTU per cord
Pellets, 1 ton = 16,800,000 BTU per ton
Natural Gas, 1 therm = 100,000 BTU
Outside temp = 40 to 20 for November = 225 Therms
1960's 3 bedroom block house, good attic insulation, POOR wall insulation
Blocks are 8x8x16


 
if a cord of wood is $200 for Lodgepole i do better with Natural Gas
Break even is at $150 per Cord
I have to buy my wood. only have 1.5 acres

[DDW_OR]

the OWB will supply a constant heat that may flow through the air ducts.


next year will be installing either the CB 750 edge or the CB Pellet burner with extra hopper

Heating:
House
20x21 attached two car garage
Hot tub in garage
Hot water - not summer
30x20 work shop
10x20 chicken coup

[Traci]

Thank you all for your input. As much as I don't want to accept the numbers, my total electric for the year ended up being $2600 not heating garage but that isnt necessary. Even if I were to cut that in half, it would take me at least 10-15 years. Im thinking my wood burning days are over except for an occassional camp fire.

[Rebarb]

Burning/cutting wood first and foremost has to be something you really enjoy.

I'm retired and dabble in wood several days a week for exercise, enjoyable hobby and the benefit the use of a free resource.

60 acres is most likely a lifetime supply of firewood but if process time is limited then you may want to explore other options.

Yes I agree, the initial cost of OWB's are ridiculous.

[J 5]

         We have had out door boilers since 1999, before that forced air wood in the houses and shop. The wood is free and as long as I'm able , I'll stick with the outside boiler , would hate to think of a propane bill for 2 houses and 2 large garages.        
                                                                       J5

[chevytaHOE5674]

Where do you guys get "free" wood?

I dont buy wood but my firewood is far from free... Between the chainsaw, chains, bars, fuel, oil, splitter, tractor, winch, time, etc it ain't free.

Closest thing I had to "free" wood is when I ran CTL processor for a guy and would drop 2' blocks into my truck directly from the stump. But even that had a cost because I had to drive my own truck to the woods instead of my car or carpooling. 

[TKehl]

I couldn't make a boiler work on paper either.  However very happy with the savings from an outdoor forced air unit I got used.  

For what you describe, best money is probably in insulation...

[J 5]

    True , nothing is free in this world . Way I see it you own the land / wood , it requires up keep, dead trees, blow downs ,etc the normal property stuff you have to do if you own land. A great way to feed a boiler, but if I had to buy my wood , the calculator would have to come out to do some comparing.
                         J 5

[Corley5]

If we had natural gas available I'd sell firewood to pay the gas bill.  I'm tired of feeding the OWB.

[Traci]

We have all supplies plus more than we need, including chainsaw, log chains, blades, sharpeners, dozer, skidder, excavator, morooka for hauling from back of woods to front, just bought a wood processor and elevator but most of this was collected over the years and can sell when done with it. We are prepping our land to sell about 40 acres but before we can do this, we have over 500 tree tops to sell as firewood so it just made sense (at first thought) to be burning it too. , so true....nothing is free!

[bluthum]

For my opinion owb's are not where it's at. Upfront expense, maintenance and efficiency turn me off. I think you could compare costs yourself with wood vs. propane and so on. Even though you have a large space maybe 2 good wood stoves might handle it especially since you have the wood. Of course first good investment is usually in energy efficiency  improvements to the structure.

[thecfarm]

bluthum,don't group all oWB together. There is one brand,if someone gave me,I would not take it. I am not saying mine is the best,but I do know it's better than some.

[Traci]

If I were to run into a good used one at a very good price, what boiler should be avoided or suggested?

[barbender]

Heatmor is very good. About the only problem I have ever heard of is the jacket cracking when people let them run away and overheat- operator error. We've had ours for 10 years I think. I've replaced a blower motor and a couple of grates. It does get old loading it sometimes. Firewood is never truly "free", but I look at it as a fringe benefit of my job. It takes me a fairly minimal amount of work to put my wood up, as I usually collect dead standing softwoods, dump them in front of the stove, and then block them up so I only handle it once. If I was cutting it, splitting it, and stacking it in a shed I'd probably tap out!😂 That's too much extra time for me. I've seen ads for an owb that the top opens, and you dump wood in with a skidloader. Now that got my interest😁

[thecfarm]

You can do a search on here. One kind will keep showing up having problems.
I have the Heatmor too. I have the old style,a very simple unit. Not much that can go wrong with it. No solenoids,led readouts,no switches. I have only had to replace blowers on mine. I have one on the way out now. I have to look up the dealer phone number. I have it somewheres. I don't call him too often. Portage and Main seem to be a good one too. I looked at that some. When I was looking for a OWB,I would be driving around and see someone outside and I would stop and ask them about the one they had. Get some real answers that way.

[Rebarb]

I've learned over the years that if you cutting firewood on your own property, there's no need to over handle it.

Stack it right where you cut it then when it's needed, load on trailer and pull trailer beside boiler.

I've probably 10 cords on the property waiting to be called apon.....yes seasoned.

[chevytaHOE5674]

That's a good plan until there's 3 foot of snow on top of soft ground. No way your getting wood on the trailer and moved until the next summer. So having 10 cord stacked out in the woods is next to useless.

[barbender]

Now go easy on them, Chevy- not everyone lives in the land of 5' deep lake effect snow!😁

[TKehl]

Access is always a concern.  For us, it's more about can we get it out without making ruts or the sun thawing the top and making it "greasy".  Been many times I've loaded in the early AM to get them out of the woods while the ground was still solid.   :D  

Our solution, a small woodshed and a medium sized fleet of wood hauling trailers that we try to keep full.   Have a pickup bed trailer and old manure spreader full and sitting in the barn at the moment.   ;D

[Rebarb]

That's a good plan until there's 3 foot of snow on top of soft ground. No way your getting wood on the trailer and moved until the next summer. So having 10 cord stacked out in the woods is next to useless.

That's possibly a little " glass half empty " .

I'm 59 yrs old and looking for less handling and giving the OP some suggestions.
My building has about 5 cords in it that I've not touched in several years.
I simply drive up to a stack that's been seasoned, throw on trailer, park beside boiler, repeat.
We get a blizzard  ? Got it covered.

To the OP....... if you have a lifetime supply of wood, your way ahead of most.

[Ljohnsaw]

Interesting thread.  I'm building a cabin and thought an OWB would be nice (clean and such) compared to a wood stove.  But I'm going to just be a weekend user of it so an OWB would not be ideal.  But still interesting to know the numbers.  Since I got two nice (free) wood stoves, I'm ahead of the game!

As far as firewood storage, IF I had a place to put them, I could get about 18 IBCs for free.  Either cut the tops off the plastic or just remove all together.  Then, use a set of forks to pick it up from wherever and drop on a trailer.  If you have enough reach, stack them to save even more floor space.

[Andries]

iBC bins are working out well for us too.